Andres Iniesta

Spain and Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta announces retirement at 40

BARCELONA — Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta announced his retirement on Tuesday after a glittering trophy-laden career spanning 24 years.

Iniesta, 40, was at the heart of the Spain and Barcelona midfield during a period of sustained success for both teams in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

"Please allow me to be a little emotional today," a tearful Iniesta, who most recently played for Emirates Club in the United Arab Emirates, told a press conference.

Moneybags Mbappé beats Messi and Ronaldo on Forbes’ top 10 highest-paid soccer players list

Forbes has revealed its list for the highest-paid soccer players 2022. For the first time since 2014, neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo sit at No. 1 on the list. The era of Messi and Ronaldo is starting to fade and a kid from France sits upon the money throne.

Peak Performance: Five Players Who Will Be Appearing At Their Fifth World Cup In 2022

When it comes to international soccer, appearances, goals scored and trophies won are usually the biggest indicators of a successful career, and rightly so. But perhaps the most elusive achievement for an international footballer is appearing at five World Cups.

First, it requires an international career of at least 16 years. Around 30 or so active international players made their debut for their country before the 2006 World Cup. A player must also be on a team that qualifies for five successive World Cups — something only 13 countries have achieved.

From Pulisic To Iniesta: The 10 Most Iconic Goal Celebration Shirt Messages (And What They Meant)

For as long as soccer players have had toned, athletic bodies hiding under their shirts, they’ve loved to take off their jerseys to celebrate scoring a goal. But when you really want to make a statement, you need something more than rock-hard abs under your shirt — you need one of these iconic goal celebration shirt messages.

Una Locura: El Equipo Ideal Del Barcelona En La Era Messi

El efecto de Lionel Messi en la historia del Barcelona es y será imborrable. El club era grande antes de su aparición en La Masia, pero en sus 17 años junto al plantel de honor se convirtió en un coloso. A modo de ejemplo, varios en internet muestran el palmarés de los catalanes antes y después de la era Messi:

  • Títulos de Liga: 16 antes de Messi, 26 después de Messi.
  • Champions League: 1 antes de Messi, 5 después de Messi.
  • Intercontinental / Mundial de Clubes: 0 antes de Messi, 3 después de Messi.

Brutal. Pero no es todo.

Andrés Iniesta Signs Two-Year Contract Extension With Japan’s Vissel Kobe

TOKYO - Former Barcelona midfielder Andrés Iniesta said on Tuesday he has extended his contract with Vissel Kobe by another two years and wants to keep working towards making the Japanese side the best in Asia.

Spanish World Cup winner Iniesta, who also celebrated his 37th birthday on Tuesday, signed a three-year contract with Kobe in 2018 after leaving Barcelona, where he won nine LaLiga and four Champions Leagues titles.